SWAZILAND KING AND THE INTERNET

People in Swaziland are able to express themselves more freely because of the Internet.

Even though the media are generally restricted in the kingdom the Internet is not, so people are able to portray their feelings this way.

These are some of the conclusions reached in a video just released about the Bar-Camp conference held in Swaziland in June 2009. Bar-Camp was an opportunity for technology practitioners in Swaziland to share and learn in an open environment.

As well as giving the background to how the Internet is being used in Swaziland, the video makes much of the fact that Swaziland is ruled by King Mswati III, the last absolute monarch in sub-Saharan Africa, who has a personal wealth of 200 million US dollars and owns all of Swaziland’s mineral wealth. Meanwhile, the video reports, most of his subjects earn less than $1.25 a day.

Despite the relative freedom of the Internet there is a claim made in the video that some comments posted on the web had to be taken down on the orders of the king. Unfortunately, this point is not followed up so it is not clear what is being referred to.

I know that in the past the Times of Swaziland group, the kingdom’s only independent daily newspaper, used to allow readers to comment on its stories, but this service was cancelled after there were many criticisms of the king and others in the Swazi ruling elite. I don’t know if the king had direct involvement in this cancellation.

As someone who regularly writes criticising the king, I can say that I have no knowledge of anyone trying to interfere with the publication of Swazi Media Commentary: at least, not in the sense of trying to get the site taken down. And since I no longer live in Swaziland there is no way that the authorities can exert personal pressure on me to shut me up.

So, the makers of the video are correct, the Internet can be a useful tool in allowing people to express themselves about Swaziland, but it is not perfect.

The video called Swaziland: the King and the Web is published by PBS Frontline, of the US.

Source.